New Member
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4 Messages
DirecTV won't let me cancel service
I have spent over 2 hours on the phone with DirecTV trying to cancel my service and they have either blatantly hung up on me or told me that "the back office" needs to call me back in order to fulfill my cancellation. When pressed for a name and number for "the back office", I am told they don't have a number (of course). I, of course, have not heard back from them.
I read online that DirecTV makes it very difficult to cancel, especially someone like me with many receivers, and that they will spend hours and hours of your time spinning you in circles in hopes you'll give up... that's not an option for me, so wondering if anyone has any suggestions on who to reach out to in order to get this resolved. I asked for the "Retainment" department per suggestions from others, but these people continue to spin me in different directions.
I would like to avoid legal action, but if that's where they want to take this, I can explore arbitration with AT&T.
shannon02
ACE - Expert
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21K Messages
4 years ago
The only way to cancel is to call. Are you using DTV's 1 800 531 5000 number?
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sandblaster
ACE - Expert
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2K Messages
4 years ago
Are you saying “cancel service” at the voice prompt? That should get you to the right folks that can process the cancellation. No need for legal action or arbitration but if you continue to get the run around, file an FCC or BBB complaint.
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Spencer007
New Member
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4 Messages
4 years ago
Well aware the only way to cancel is to call (good times) and yes, have dialed that number as well as 800-288-2020. The first person kept me on the line because she was getting an error message on my account not letting her cancel it. She said it was due to the fact that I have 9 receivers and I'm over the limit of how many receivers she can cancel. I held back my laughter. She took it to her manager who could do nothing either. Then they tried to apparently involve the "smart" team to help fix the problem and after nearly 90 minutes of waiting, they hung up on me. And never called me back after taking my number to ensure they could call me back if we got disconnected. So I call back again, get a guy on the phone who assures me he can cancel my service only to tell me he's getting the same error message. His manager tells him that "the back office" will have to call me to cancel my service because they are getting this mysterious error message. When asked to provide me a guarantee that the "back office" will call me back, he couldn't and said his manager was no longer available. He offered to check in with me in a couple hours to see if they had called me. They haven't called and neither has he. I spent over 30 minutes on the phone with him... so after two hours total on the phone with DirecTV, I literally have nothing to show for my efforts. I'll try the "cancel service" route, but I'm not holding my breath that it will accomplish anything.
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Juniper
ACE - Expert
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22.9K Messages
4 years ago
Call DirecTV's number. When you get the voice system say "cancel" which should route you to the correct department. Be prepared the agent is required to verify why you are looking to cancel so they can make a (reasonable) offer to retain your business.
If agent refuses or says you will get a callback, request a supervisor. Failing that, other than calling and trying again, the next step is a FCC/BBB complaint.
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Spencer007
New Member
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4 Messages
4 years ago
Because I have 9 receivers, they cannot cancel my service. Everyone I talk to keeps getting an error message. They keep saying someone "from the back office" will call me to deal with it and nobody calls. I'm actually at the point where I believe the people on the other end of the line... apparently I'm such a VIP customer that they won't let me cancel. This is comical and frustrating. I have spent over 3 hours on the phone with them today and have nothing.
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Spencer007
New Member
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4 Messages
4 years ago
Cutting the cord. In my 3rd call and over 3 hours of sitting on the phone with DirecTV, we tried going the route of cancelling 3 receivers b/c apparently that's the magic number, but apparently it wasn't an option for the guy helping me - who was sincere in his efforts. For whatever reason, DirecTV won't allow regular loyalty CS people to cancel service for someone who has as many receivers as I do. Like I'm some sort of unicorn or something... I have to imagine there are other people out there like me with lots of TV's and receivers... so I don't understand why this is such a science experiment. I was told twice that "the back office" will be calling me to help me disconnect my service, but I feel like I have better odds of buying a lotto ticket tonight and retiring than I do a "back office" person calling me to actually assist me. Sadly, it feels like everything you read about on the web about DirecTV doing everything they can not to allow you to cancel is very real. I fully expect to be calling again tomorrow, spending another hour+ on the phone with them, only to be run in another endless loop. Was told to call the Loyalty Dept and ask for a Supervisor if I don't hear back from the "back office". We shall see. Thanks for trying to help, everyone.
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Juniper
ACE - Expert
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22.9K Messages
4 years ago
Their new account system only allows up to 8 devices. You are either in the legacy system or they previously got some override to work to get all your boxes active in the new one.
I would suggest to the next agent to deactivate receivers one at a time and try to cancel before disconnecting the next. Just as long as they don't individually deactivate the last one, as that is when absolutely they must cancel the account itself, otherwise the account will not be fully closed (apparently a flaw of the old system as shouldn't have allowed it).
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